The incumbent is a member of a team providing services and support to 15 maintenance and repair inventory programs with specialized needs and whose level of repair parts increases each year. The work has high visibility and a positive attitude and a motivation to expedite repair and satisfaction are critical to accomplishing the VA mission.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/01/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-03 or GS-04. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Advancement to positions up to GS-5: Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of a purchase card; utilizing different ordering, reporting procedures, and purchasing methods; performing administrative procedures such as procurability, creation and maintenance of accurate records, and management of funds. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed four (4) years above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to quality at this grade level. You must possess the equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education beyond two (2) years and specialized experience as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Communication Control of Funds Problem Solving Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary but requires some physical effort such as walking, standing, bending and carrying of books, manuals, vendors' catalogs and material items to be issued from various stock rooms. Duties involve extended periods of working at a computer terminal. Incumbent may carry or lift items weighing up to 40-50 pounds. There are no special physical demands. The work can be very stressful in nature and demanding mentally. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Major Duties: Distribute and balance the workload among the vendors in accordance with established workflow, geographic location, urgency, and time zone. Assure timely shipments of requested material and estimated delivery dates are uploaded to the associated purchase order. Keep in touch with the status and progress of shipment, and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise, such as backlogs which cannot be disposed of promptly. Estimate and report on expected delivery dates of shipments, and maintain records and time expended and prepare Due in Status Reports as requested. Instruct vendors and shippers on specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions and reference materials that may be required for delivers of larger, more complicated deliveries. Give on the job training for processing to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices. Maintain current knowledge and answer questions of other employees on procedures, policies, directives, etc. and obtain needed information or decisions from supervisor on problems that come up as they apply to vendor orders and shipments. Check on shipments in progress or spot check shipments not requiring review (e.g., filing or direct services) and review completed shipments for proper filing. Amend and reject vendor purchase request when material is not available providing pushing the requested item back to supervisor for further research and re-submission. Inform employees of available vendor services such as vendor services such as vendor training and advisories received through e-mail. Resolve simple, informal complaints of vendors and refer others to supervisor. Report to supervisor on performance, progress and training needs of vendors, and on behavior problems. Provide information to supervisor as requested concerning upcoming promotions, sales, item specific training, and special requirements of items requested. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Purchasing Agent/PD21006-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized